Bengal records biggest single-day spike of 208 new Covid-19 cases, state tally at 3,667

With the state struggling to limp back to normalcy four days after Cyclone Amphan battered Bengal, the number of Covid-19 positive cases on Sunday recorded the highest daily spike with the state reporting 208 new cases in 24 hours for the first time.

The spike comes as a major concern for the state, as the cyclone-hit districts are also the ones most-affected by Covid-19.

On Sunday evening 208 people tested positive for the coronavirus disease, taking the state’s tally to 3,667. West Bengal recorded more than 100 cases for the first time on May 6, reporting 112 cases and has now detected another 2,211 cases, with an average of 123 cases per day.

Kolkata, North 24-Parganas and Howrah that account for 2,934 of the total 3,667 cases in the state have also been badly hit by the cyclone. These districts have most of the containment zones in the state.

Among Sunday’s new cases, 52 were from Kolkata, 48 from Howrah and 21 from North 24-Parganas. South 24-Parganas, the worst cyclone-affected district, recorded only 4 new cases but that was due to too few samples being tested from the district, as large parts of it remained cut-off from the rest of the state even on Sunday, according to a senior official of the state health department.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the state faces a great challenge in containing the spread of the disease, enforcing the lockdown and simultaneously doing relief and restoration work for the damage caused by Cyclone Amphan.

“It’s going to be a humongous battle against nature to contain Covid-19 at this hour. We are getting reports from the districts that people are focussed on post-cyclone restoration. They are not caring about masks and social distancing. Thousands of people have been rendered homeless. They are trying to remove fallen trees and electric poles and repair breached embankments. The faster the restoration takes place, the earlier social distancing norms can be implemented again,” public health expert Rezaul Karim said. 

On Sunday, the state witnessed demonstrations in Kolkata, Howrah and North 24-Parganas, in areas where several people tested positive for Covid-19. Angry residents demanded immediate restoration of power and water supply.

“We urge people to have patience and not to hit the streets. We are trying our best to give relief to people but we should not forget that the storm was of great magnitude and we still are battling Covid-19,” urban development minister Firhad Hakim said.

West Bengal has so far recorded 272 deaths, including 72 attributed to co-morbidity.

https://www.hindustantimes.com